Swim England Learn to Swim Programme Stages 1-10
Often call hat Stages by our Wizards the Swim England Learn to Swim Awards 1-10 are about developing confident and competent swimmers through fun and enjoyment, with Stages 1-7 being at the core of the Programme. This Framework builds the skills and motivation needed to develop a lifelong love of water and maintain an active and healthy lifestyle through swimming. It is the most widely known Framework for swimming lessons for children and is the backbone of swimming lessons for primary school aged children. Each of the seven Stages of the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework have a clear set of targets for the swimmer to meet so that they can progress to the next Stage.
If you would like your child to have swimming lessons in Northampton and join our comprehensive learn to swim programme or need more information, please contact us!
Goggles are not permitted in the early stages (1-4). We teach the children to be safe in and around the water, this includes knowing what to do should they fall into open water such as a lake or a canal where goggles will not be available. Learning to swim is primarily a lifesaving/safety skill, so once your child has mastered some basic water safety skills and swimming skills, they will eventually move to Tidal Waves Stage 5 where the emphasis is on technique where goggles are permitted. Our beginner Stages (1-3) are only suitable for children 4-8 years old.
Stage 1 (Red Hats)
Developing basic safety awareness, the ‘class’ scenario, basic movement skills and water confidence skills. Swimmers may use flotation equipment, e.g. arm bands, floats, etc. By completing this Award, with or without flotation equipment or support, swimmers will be able to:
1. Enter the water safely.
2. Move forward for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
3. Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
4. Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
5. Scoop the water and wash the face.
6. Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.
7. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
8. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing.
9. Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall.
10. Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.
11. Give examples of two pool rules.
12. Exit the water safely.
(12 Outcomes)
Stage 2 (Red hats)
Developing safe entries into the water, including jumping in, basic floating, rotation to regain an upright position without support. Travel must be without flotation equipment. Swimmers may use flotation equipment when not travelling. By completing this Award, with or without flotation equipment or support, swimmers will be able to:
1. Jump in from poolside safely to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
2. Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.
3. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support.
4. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support.
5. Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head.
6. Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.
7. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres, without the use of flotation equipment.
8. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5 metres, without the use of flotation equipment.
9. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.
10. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.
11. Perform a log roll from the back to the front.
12. Perform a log roll from the front to the back.
13. Exit the water without support.
(13 outcomes)
Stage 3 (Yellow Hats)
Developing safe entries into the water, including submersion, travelling up to 10 metres on the front and back, progressing rotation skills and water safety knowledge. By completing this Award, without flotation equipment or support, swimmers will be able to:
1. Jump in from poolside and submerge to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
2. Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position.
3. Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.
4. Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.
5. Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back.
6. Fully submerge to pick up an object.
7. Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.
8. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back.
9. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front.
10. Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.
11. Exit the water without using steps.
(11 Outcomes)
Stage 4 (Green Hats)
Developing the understanding of buoyancy through a range of skills, refining kicking technique for all strokes, and swimming 10 metres to a given standard as directed by Swim England (Swim England Expected Standards). By completing this Award, without flotation equipment or support, swimmers will be able to:
1. Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface and demonstrate an understanding of floating.
2. Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor.
3. Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional).
4. Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional).
5. Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back.
6. Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional).
7. Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
8. Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front.
9. Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back.
10. Push and glide and swim 10 metres, choice of stroke is optional
(10 outcomes)
Stage 5 (Light Blue Hats)
Developing technique through sculling and treading water skills, completing rotation and performing all strokes to the Swim England Expected Standards. By completing this Award swimmers will be able to:
1. Perform a flat stationary scull on the back.
2. Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
3. Perform a sculling sequence with a partner for 30-45 seconds to include a rotation.
4. Tread water for 30 seconds.
5. Perform three different shaped jumps into deep water.
6. Push and glide and swim 10 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
7. Push and glide and swim 10 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
8. Push and glide and swim 10 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
9. Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
10. Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of three seconds.
11. Perform a forward somersault.
12. Demonstrate an action for getting help
(12 Outcomes)
Stage 6 (Dark Blue Hats)
Developing effective swimming skills including coordinated breathing, understanding of water safety and preparation for exercise. By completing this Award swimmers will be able to:
1. Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important.
2. Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke.
3. Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl.
4. Swim 10 metres wearing clothes.
5. Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
6. Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
7. Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.
8. Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.
9. Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards).
10. Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.
11. Perform a surface dive.
(11 outcomes)
Stage 7 (Purple Hats)
Developing quality stroke technique up to 100 metres, incorporating skills learnt and combining them to develop a linked routine and complete successfully an obstacle course that combines a variety of skills learned throughout Stages 1-7. By completing this Award swimmers will be able to:
1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
2. Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
3. Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
4. Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
5. Perform a movement sequence (linking skills with strokes and sculls) of one minute duration, in a group of three or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:
* Sculling: head first, feet first
* Rotation: forward or backward somersault, log roll
* Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create own
* Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water
6. Perform a sitting dive or dive.
7. Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
8. Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
9. Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
10. Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.
(10 outcomes)
Stage 8 (Black Hats)
By completing this Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Complete a set lasting 400 metres (e.g. 16 x 25 metres, 8 x 50 metres, 4 x 100 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher/coach (e.g. 1.00 minutes for each 25 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Swim 400 metres continuously using one stroke ( Swimmer’s choice).
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres backstroke with or without using a board.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres breaststroke with or without using a board.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres butterfly without using a board.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres front crawl with or without using a board.
- Perform a backstroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a breaststroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a butterfly turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a front crawl turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a dive track or grab start and kick butterfly under water in a streamlined position for 5 metres with the focus on progressing it to 10 metres.
Stage 9 (Black Hats)
By completing this Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Complete a set lasting 800 metres (either 16 x 50 metres; 8 x 100 metres; 4 x 200 metres) on a specific turnaround time as agreed by the teacher/coach (e.g. 1.30 minutes for 50 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Swim 800 metres continuously choosing one stroke. *
- Swim a continuous 100 metres individual medley (4 x 25 metres) using recognised turns with a FOCUS on stroke technique and consistency.
- Perform a 15 metres underwater kick on front from a push and glide in a streamlined position.
- Perform a backstroke start then butterfly kick in a streamlined position under water up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall), transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.
- Perform a front crawl start, underwater kick in a streamlined position up to a
- maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.
- Perform a butterfly start, kick in a streamlined position up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.
- Perform a breaststroke start, perform a one and a half pull under water, transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.
Stage 10 (Black Hats)
By completing this Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Complete a set lasting 1,600 metres (either 16 x 100 metres, 8 x 200 metres, 4 x 400 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher/coach (e.g. 2.30 min for 100 metres), focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Swim 1,500 metres continuously choosing one stroke.
- Perform a continuous 100 metres (4 x 25 metres) individual medley kick without using a kick board.
- Swim a continuous 200 metres (4 x 50 metres) individual medley using recognised turns.
- Perform a front crawl relay take over -as an incoming swimmer.
- Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an outgoing swimmer.
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